Second Chances:Like Father, Like Son, Like A Simon
by jtbwriter
Summary: Training his son to be a private investigator is harder then Rick thought,but when a pair of vicious brothers target their family, the Simons work together to bring them down. Dedicated to fanfic writers everywhere!
1. Chapter 1

Second Chances: Like Father, Like Son, Like a Simon

Training his son to be a private investigator is harder then Rick thought, but when a pair of vicious brothers target their family, the Simons team together to bring them down. Dedicated to fan fic writers everywhere!

(This is a fictional story, and no money is being made from it. The characters from Simon & Simon and Six Million Dollar Man are owned by Universal Studios and are only being borrowed for a little while, I promise to put them back when I'm done.)

Author's note-please excuse the Chapter numbers-the new way of loading chapters doesn't allow seeing if the correct order is loaded! And now..."Like Father, Like Son, Like Simon."

"Pop, you have to wait for Ron, we can't go searching Santos's store without a warrant."

Rick Simon tried to hide a grin. His son was still in his sheriff mode, time for him to learn to improvise.

"I know, son. But nothing says I can't just go in and look, does it?"

Robbie Simon stared back at his father, then reluctantly nodded. "No, but, just be careful. I don't want to tip him off."

Rick heard the unspoken "or see you get hurt." His son had only worked with he and A.J. for six months, but he could read Robbie like a book.

"I know, Robbie, I'll get in and get out, just so we know what he's hiding." The older Simon replied, putting a hand on his son's shoulder.

Behind him, A.J. smiled and shook his head. His nephew was more cautious then he ever was, but he was a lot smarter.

"All right, Rick, turn your transmitter on, we'll be there in 2 seconds if we hear anything off, got it?"

"Yes, A.J.." His older brother sighed, then ruffled his hair as he got out of the truck. He straightened himself stiffly, noticing his bad knee was letting off notice that rain was around the corner. Trying not to wince, he stepped onto the curb, then crossed the street to the corner shop they had under surveillance. According to their friend Ron Johnson, illegal shipments of Indian relics were being funneled through a souvenir wholesaler, and Western Kitsch, Inc. was the most likely drop-off point.

Watching Rick limp into the trading post, A.J. frowned. "Robbie, when did your Dad start having trouble with his knee?"

"About a month ago, Uncle A.J., but this is the first time I've seen him having that much of a limp. Maybe I'd better go back him up….." Robbie started, then stopped as his father's voice came over his transmitter. "Yeah, looking for something a little more, you know, real. No "made in Hong Kong" for me."

A rough voice replied. "What'cha have in mind, mister, we've got all kinds of artifacts, skulls, bones, jewelry. It'll cost you more for the real deal."

Both A.J. and Robbie listened to the sounds of cases being opened, then closed. Rick's voice making comments. After a few minutes the two Simons heard him make an excuse to leave.

"Well, I, uh, know someone who'll pay the big money for legit stuff. I just have to go get him so he can see what you've got." Robbie's "all right, Pop, now get out of there." brought a smile to A.J.'s face, only to turn into a frown as another man's voice startled them.

"Nice try, Simon. Vinny here would have bought your line. Now, what do you really want?"

Immediately Robbie got out of the car, then crept along the wall of the building until he reached the side door. Glancing around, he saw that A.J. had signaled to Chief Johnson and had gone to cover the rear of the shop.

Inside, Rick swore inwardly. _"Great, I had to screw things up…. now the trick is to get out of here."_

"Long time no see, Raj. I thought you'd gone out of the "tourist" trade?" Rick answered, then caught his brother's shadow in the rear of the store.

"I did, Simon. But this stuff is just aching to be sold to the highest bidder…..now put your hands where I can see them." Santos smirked, only to lose his smile as A.J.'s voice was heard from in back of him and his goons.

"Sorry, Mr. Santos. Looks like you're the one who'll have to put your hands where I can see them."

A moment later both men were being read their rights by one of Phoenix's finest,and Rick was being read the riot act by Chief Johnson.

"Rick, I ought to take you downtown and throw you in a cell, of all the lame, stupid, rookie stunts to pull…."

Rick opened his mouth to protest, then saw the look on both A.J. and Robbie's faces. Relief, mixed with disappointment. That hurt, he'd let the two of them down.

Instantly he held up his hand. "Ron, stop. I'm …." He swallowed hard, then continued.

"I'm sorry, I screwed up. I could have blown the whole thing, if A.J. and Robbie hadn't timed it just right, well, maybe I don't have it anymore."

At that Robbie immediately put an arm around his father. "No Pop, you just taught me two lessons, never fly solo without a plan, and…. how to take responsibility like a man. You're still the best. Thank you."

Rick felt a lump in his throat and grabbed his son in a bear hug. A.J. wiped his eyesfurtively then heard Ron clear his throat. "Okay, guys, time to wrap this up at the station."

Rick released Robbie from his embrace, as A.J. patted him on the back. "Nice save, Rick. Let's finish this up then surprise the girls with dinner."

The older Simon laughed, then tousled his brother's hair. "Good idea, little brother. Ron, why don't you call Abby and have her meet you at A.J.'s. I owe you."

Their friend just shook his head, grinning. "Yes you do, Rick, but I'll let you off the hook on the condition that Abby and I bring dessert. I think Laurie would like a lemon pie, don't you?"

As the four men laughed, neither of them noticed a figure watching from a parked car down the block . The watcher frowned angrily as he saw the three Simons and the Chief of Detectives climb in their cars and follow the police cruiser bearing the suspects.

"We'll see who laughs last, Simon. There won't be a one of you left when I'm done."


	2. Chapter 2

"Hey, batter, batter, batter, swwwwing!"

A.J. cupped his hands and yelled, "Come on, Ceci, you can hit it!"

Confidently his oldest daughter stood in the batter's box, then smacked the next pitch, sending it sailing for a double. Behind the dugout the Simon family cheered, with Cecilia and Laurie screaming encouragement.

"Come on, bring Ceci home!" Laurie called, then grinned as an arm went around her shoulders.

"Here, my cheerleader, one Root Beer float." Rick put the treat in her hand, then was rewarded with a kiss. Ignoring the persistent pain in his knee, he pulled her closer and held the straw for her to sip as she jiggled A.J.'s youngest on her knee.

"Thank you, love. You're just in time, ohhhhh run for it, Ceci!" Laurie shouted, nearly spilling her soda in her excitement. Everyone applauded as Ceci scored the winning run and was instantly mobbed by her teammates.

"That's my girl!" A.J. crowed, then his wife elbowed him, teasing, "Our girl, if you don't mind!"

As the team threw their hats into the air, A.J. and Linda hightailed it down the bleacher steps with the other parents. Laurie and Rick followed with Robin and Melly in tow.

"Okay, sis, good game!" Rick's namesake came running from the announcer's table, where he had helped keep score. Immediately Ceci broke loose from her friends and ran to her brother.

"Did you see, I used your bat, Ricky. It did have a couple of hits in it!" she told him, then gave him a hug.

"Yeah, but you're the one who swung it!" Ricky grinned, then A.J. put an arm around each of them.

"You guys both did a great job, just for that we're going to Castleland, you've earned it!" he said, then pretended to cover his ears as his children cheered.

Rick started laughing as Melly clapped her hands. "Candy!"

"No, honey, games." He told her, then handed her off to her father for a piggyback ride. As the family approached the parking lot, Laurie suddenly grabbed Rick's arm.

"Rick…..no…." She began, then her knees gave way and she collapsed. At once he caught her then scooping her up in his arms, limped with her to a nearby bench. "Sweetheart, just breathe." He said, trying to keep calm as he saw her closed eyes. Rick gave a glance to A.J..

"I'll get some water for her." A.J. said over his shoulder as he turned and ran back to the field's snack bar. Ricky had his brother and sisters sit on the ground as his mother pulled a cleaning wipe from her purse and gently wiped her sister-in-law's face. Almost immediately Laurie's eyes opened.

"I'm, I'm alright, sis." She told them, then her eyes widened. "Darling, don't let the children near the truck, it's going to explode."

Linda gasped then clutched at A.J. when he rushed up with a bottle of water in his hand. "A.J., call Ron, Laurie saw that Rick's truck's going to blow."

As his brother used his transmitter, Rick helped Laurie to sit up. "Here, darlin', take a sip." He urged, holding the water bottle to her lips. Within minutes her color was better.

"Thank you, love. I'm all right, it was so bad though…." Laurie's voice trembled. Just then a police cruiser pulled up, followed by the bomb squad. As they blocked off the parking lot, a dog emerged from the squad's van, then was led over to Rick's pickup.

As the dog's handler gingerly examined the underside of the vehicle, Chief Ron Johnson emerged from huddling with the officers, then came to the Simons.

"Laurie, what happened, what did you see?" he asked, then frowned as she replied, "I saw Rick open the camper for the children to climb in, then it exploded. There was blood everywhere, I couldn't find Rick…then… someone was laughing….."

"Chief! We have a problem!"

Everyone looked up as Ron ran to the squad leader, who pointed at the truck, then pulled out a bag and cautiously crawled under the truck's undercarriage.

His heart in his throat, Rick wrapped his arms around Laurie and held his breath. A moment later the officer emerged slowly with a device in his hand, wires protruding from it.

"Thank God-if Laurie hadn't seen the explosion….." A.J. started, then hugged his sister-in-law.

"A.J., I'm alright." She sighed, then smiled when Ricky and the other children got up and embraced their aunt and uncle. "You make me feel better, guys." Laurie told them, then tears filled her eyes when Ceci mournfully said "I'm sorry you get sick when you see things, Auntie Laurie. It's not right."

"Oh, honey, I can handle it. As long as my Ceci, and Robin and Ricky and yes, Melly." She kissed each of them, "are safe. And my Rick." she added, as he wiped her eyes with his handkerchief, then kissed her.

Instead of the usual "yuck", a cheerful "Yea!" came from Melly, and everyone laughed.

"All right, Melly, you're going to be a romantic just like your uncle." Laurie giggled, then sobered quickly as Ron approached the group.

"The truck is okay now, guys. It looks like a professional job, but we got some good prints off the materials in the bomb. I'm afraid Castleland might not work today." He added, then Rick offset the disappointment for the kids by saying "Well, Ceci, we'll have our own "Castleland", why don't we go for a carriage ride and picnic instead?"

"Could we? Thanks, Uncle Rick, you too, Auntie!" she replied enthusiastically.

As they once again headed for the truck, a car came screeching into the lot, then Rick saw their friend Rudy Wells come tearing out. "Laurie, Rick! Everyone okay?" he panted as he ran toward them.

"We're okay, Rudy. Let's just say my "Light" here," Rick tightened his arm around Laurie, "saw something and saved me and the kids. We're headed for the ranch now."

"Good, cause there was a phone call to the house, you might want to hear this too, Ron." Their friend nodded to the Chief Detective.

Rick felt his wife shiver against him, and cursed inwardly the coward who'd caused this.

"It's all right, darlin', it'll be okay." He whispered as he led her to the passenger side and helped her in.

"I know, love." She put her arms around his neck and kissed him. "I'm fine as long as you're with me."

Heartened, Rick kissed her back, then added, "I'll be with you always, my princess. Now let's go home and enjoy our "Castleland".

"Yes, my prince." She let go of him long enough for him to climb into the cab and buckle up, then snuggled against his shoulder as he draped an arm around her.

"Both hands on the wheel, Uncle Rick." Ricky's teasing voice came from the back. "Just wait until you go on your first date, son." Rick pretended to growl. "I'll volunteer to chaperone you for your folks." "And I'll help." Laurie seconded, to the children's laughter

At the loud groan from the rear of the camper, A.J. chose that moment to stick his head in the window. "Who needs a chaperone?"

"Never mind, Dad." Ricky answered with a sheepish grin. 'Uncle Rick's got that covered."

As his niece and nephews giggled, Rick pulled out of the lot and led a procession of cars onto the highway toward home.

As they drove onto their driveway, their friend Sheriff Rob was waiting on the porch, a worried-looking Oscar Goldman behind him. Both men smiled as A.J. and Rick unloaded their excited cargo from his truck, then Linda and Rudy herded the children into the house.

"Laurie, are you okay?" Oscar hugged his daughter as she stepped onto the porch.

"I'm okay, Dad. Just…well, I'll never get used to these premonitions, but at least Rick was with me." She replied, dropping a kiss on his cheek then embracing Rob.

"That's what I've been worried about, baby. You having a vision without one of us around." Oscar said, then he turned to Rick. "Are you okay, son? Ron said there was a bomb underneath your pick-up."

"Yeah, there was, Dad. The bomb guys disarmed it, and they said it was loaded with enough explosive to hurt us pretty good." Rick left unspoken the thought that not only he and Laurie, but the children would have died.

"Then that explains the phone call that came in a few hours ago. Rudy and I were putting fish in the freezer when I heard the answering machine pick up." Oscar explained, leading the way into the house and past the children in the living room.

When they reached the kitchen, Rick took Laurie's hand in one hand and reached for the answering machine with the other. "Okay, Sweetheart?"

"Okay, love." Laurie replied, raising his hand to her lips.

It took a minute for their recorder to play its incoming message, then an eerily familiar voice sounded.

"Sorry, Mrs. Simon. Hated to make a widow out of you, but he asked for it. Too bad all those children had to die. Don't worry, though. After the rest of your family is gone, you'll get all the company you need."

Click.

"God no, oh please, not him again." Laurie gasped, then Rick put his arms around her.

"Darlin', it's okay, all that creep did ……wait a minute, isn't Tony Wolf and his brother in prison for the next 20 years?"

Oscar nodded. "Wolf is supposed to be at a maximum security prison, with Andrew Bear in a lockdown psychiatric facility. Let me call Ron and check. In the meantime, Laurie, I want you to rest."

"Yes, Dad." She managed a smile at him then gave him a hug as Rick loaded a tray with some sandwiches and salad then led the way to their room.

Once his wife was settled on their bed, Rick pulled up a side table and the two of them had a cozy meal. Every few minutes one of A.J.'s children would knock on the door then climb on the bed and "share" dinner with them.

"Darling, every time I think we did a pretty good job with our children, A.J. and Linda's kids just amaze me." Laurie said, snuggling against Rick as he finished off the last sandwich.

"Even as young as Melly is, she knew something happened today, and her wanting to be with us…."

"Sweetheart." He kissed her hair, then fed her one last bite. "Ricky and Ceci and Robin and Melly have had so much love from everyone in our family, they couldn't help but turn out this good."

"Well, I know someone else who's good." Laurie put her arms around Rick, then kissed him until they both ran out of breath.

"You're better then good, sweetheart." Rick managed, then a child's voice at the door caused him to groan.

"Hold that thought, love." She giggled.


	3. Chapter 5

"I don't believe it."

Rick looked up from his desk, hearing A.J.'s angry voice. A.J. stood in the doorway of the little room, cordless phone in hand.

"Why would they…oh, so money talked here, Ron! No, no….." his brother sighed, "I know you didn't know anything about it-and now that he's threatened us…you can pick him up, right?"

Rick tensed, he must be talking about Tony Wolf or his psycho brother Andrew Bear.

"Well, just let the District Attorney know my brother and sister-in-law will be filing a suit against the facility and we'll hold them responsible if anything else happens to our family." A.J. tersely finished, then thrust the phone at his brother and stalked out of the room.

Rick's blood was boiling, but he took a deep breath.

"Ron?"

"Rick, I'm sorry, I don't know how much you heard, but Tony Wolf got a medical furlough to see his "sick parents". His attorney took him to the hospital then traded places with him. That greedy idiot took off but the border police just picked him up." Ron stopped, as if to calm himself, then Rick quietly said, "Go on, pal."

"The Chief says he's spoken with Tony Sr., and all he'll admit to is knowing his son escaped." Rick could tell his friend's temper was growing short.

"I know, Ron, this stinks to high heaven. That brother of his is still in prison, isn't he?" Rick let out a swear word at the response.

"I'm sorry, pal. He was released to go visit his "sick parents" the same day, his psychiatrist claims he's cured and not a danger to any one. I played that bastard's tape for that so-called doctor, and I thought he was going to have a stroke. Stupid jerk."

"Okay, so we know the two of them are loose. We're going to need protection for our family, at least Robin and Ian are safe." Rick mentally thanked God that his son-in-law had taken a training gig in California and Robin, Petey and Katie had gone along.

"I've already called Rob, he's got Andy at Robbie's house, and if you can get A.J. and Linda and the kids over to your place, Oscar and the Chief said they'll take care of things." Ron's tone brooked no protest, and Rick knew he didn't have any to offer.

"Thanks, Ron. I appreciate you taking care of reaching them."

"No one hurts my friends, Rick. No one. We'll find them and put them away where they can't ever get out." The chief of detectives told him firmly, then laughed in spite of himself when Rick replied "Yeah, we'll sic Abby on them."

"Darn right. She's so mad right now she could spit. Maybe….how about if she comes and sits on Laurie while we come up with a plan?"

Rick grinned. "That's a great idea, pal. I knew you were due for one."

As both men broke up, A.J. reappeared, a puzzled look on his face.

"Uh, Rick?"

"Never mind, little brother. We've got a method to our madness. Pull up a chair, we've got a trap to set."

An hour later, both Simons sat back, tired but satisfied.

"I think the Chief will appreciate our using Wolf's parents, considering how they helped the weasel." Rick smirked, hanging up the phone.

"Telling Senior that you and Laurie are going to sue him for helping Junior, and that Andrew is planning to kill them not visiting him at the asylum….that's good, Rick."

A.J. grinned, then smiled even broader as Laurie stuck her head in the doorway.

"There you are, Abby just came over…..what are you two up to?"

Rick got up and pulled her into his arms as A.J. laughed. "What makes you think we've been up to something, sis?"

"How quiet you guys have been….oh, I'm glad I came to check on you…." Laurie giggled as Rick planted kisses on her neck. "Darling, I'm ticklish there….!"

"I know", he snickered, then kissed her again.

"Okay, okay, I'm going home so I can do my own "check up" on Linda!" A.J. chuckled, then hugged Laurie.

"Bye, little brother. I'm right behind you myself, I promised Robbie and Ramona I'd pick up Lala and Andy for an ice cream." She explained, then stopped as Rick shook his head.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. You're not going anywhere by yourself, I'll go with you and the kids."

"And I won't let my buddy go by herself, either." Abby Johnson added, smiling from behind Laurie. Suddenly she snapped her fingers. "Laurie, how about telling me that story about Kasey, the one about the wild turkeys and Lost Valley?"

Rick started to laugh. "I've still never heard the whole story, just the part I was awake for when I was in the hospital all those years ago. Tell that one."

"Well, how can I say no to that." Laurie giggled, then plopped onto Rick's lap and as he made her comfortable, said, "Now, where was I?"

A.J. perched on the edge of Rick's desk as Rick said, "Kasey and Gene were engaged and it was their first Thanksgiving, wasn't it? And she wanted to get some wild turkeys for their Church's Thanksgiving dinner."

"That's right. Kasey got mad at Gene's telling her not to because it had started to snow. She was halfway to Lost Valley when she came upon a couple of horse thieves. Kasey managed to get the drop on them, but when one of them shot at her, she made a run for home. Her horse slipped in the snow as she came to the entrance to the valley and she fell all the way down to the bottom of the slope….."

"I was laying just shy of a large spruce tree when I came to. Luckily I had missed landing on the knarled and misshapen root of the old tree, which spared me severe injury.

_Dazed, I managed to get to a sitting position, then I carefully felt my scalp. Other then a small lump on my forehead, nothing else hurt. _

_So stupid, I was so stupid to disobey Gene's request, all I had to do was go home, but no, I had to show him I could catch a wild turkey. Now I was trapped, and if I didn't find a way out soon….. _

_No, I mustn't think like that. Gene would find me, and when he did, well……_

_But those two horse thieves, they would get away unless I got out of here. Instantly I decided to try climbing back up the slope. I grabbed a low branch on the tree, then pulled myself to my feet. At once my left ankle protested, and looking down I saw it was swelling. I held on to the trunk of the spruce until I got my balance, then tried to navigate through the falling snow to the edge of the clearing. As I came to the foot of the canyon wall, my heart sank as I could find no handholds in the ice and snow-covered rocks. I put my right foot onto a rock sticking out of the slope, and nearly fell as the sole of my boot slipped on the wet surface. _

_Abandoning the idea of climbing upwards, I looked to see if there was a path through any of the outer rock croppings. As I made my way around the edge of the clearing, a strange whistling noise sounded, then the wind started whipping the snow around and I was nearly blinded. _

_Turning back toward the trees, I tried to find my way deeper into the valley, hoping to find some kind of shelter. As I walked, I felt a strange sense of someone watching, so I called out, "Hello? Is someone there?"_

"_Kasey."_

_A familiar voice sounded, and I responded, "Where are you? Can you help me?"_

"_Kasey."_

_There it was again, then suddenly the snow seemed to stop, and a shaft of moonlight came through the clouds. Just ahead, barely visible, was a small building, little more then a shack. I stumbled towards it wearily, realizing my strength was ready to give out._

_Reaching the door of the shack, I hesitated. Whose place was it, maybe the thieves I'd startled? As if to relieve my fears, I heard a voice from inside, and I pulled open the door."_

Just then the phone rang, and Rick, startled, picked it up.

"Simon residence."

"Pop, it's Robbie. Someone just tried to bomb our house."

"What!"

A.J. saw his brother's face turn white. "Rick, what happened?"

"Is everybody okay, son?" Rick held up his hand as Robbie paused, then choked out "No, Ramona's hurt. Shhhh, it's okay." He heard his son comforting his wife. "Robbie, is Andy still there?"

"Yeah, he called an ambulance. Someone drove by while Andy was at the door and threw a pipe bomb toward us. Ramona had just got back from the store. The bomb, it bounced off a tree and landed on her car, then …it..it blew up."

Rick bit his lip hard, trying to keep his temper. "All right, son. I want you and Andy to pack up the kids and head to the hospital with her. Tony Wolf and his brother escaped prison last week, they're probably behind the attack. I'm afraid Bear is after all of us and your mother." Rick explained, then saw the fear in Laurie's eyes as she realized something had happened to their son..

"No, oh God, Pop---how?" Robbie's voice was suddenly furious.

"It's a long story, Robbie." Rick heard the ambulance siren in the background. "I'll tell you when we get to the hospital, just take care of Ramona now, we'll catch these two scum buckets."

"All right, Pop. Thanks." Robbie's attention was obviously on his wife, but he paused then said, "Pop, I mean it, thanks for being there."

"You're welcome, son." Rick felt his emotions starting to give way and ended the phone call.

He looked up to find Laurie's and A.J.'s eyes on him, then managed to tell them what had happened to Ramona.

"Nooooo." Laurie moaned, putting a hand to her mouth, as A.J.'s face hardened.

"They're dead, both Wolf and Bear are dead if I get a hold of them…." He broke off and gave a hand to his sister-in-law as she got off Rick's lap.

"Stand in line, little brother. We'll worry about them after we make sure Ramona's taken care of. You go home to Linda and the kids, I'll call you when we find out anything." Rick told him, grabbing his car keys, then Laurie added, "I'll bring Andy and Lala and David with me to your place as soon as I can."

"Thanks, sis." A.J. grabbed his jacket and followed his brother and sister-in-law out of the house.

Riding down the highway, Rick tried hard to focus on driving while Laurie called Oscar and Rudy to alert them to the attack. The image of Ramona lying injured, in front of his son and grandchildren…, what if Wolf and Andrew went after A.J. or the children…..

"Darling, she's going to be all right, I know it. You and A.J., you'll stop them." Laurie's head was on his shoulder, and he released a deep breath.

"Sweetheart, thank you." He said, then pulled her hand to his lips. "I'm just worried I won't be fast enough to stop them from hurting our children, or you."

"You will be, Rick. What's bothering me is how bad your knee is, what if you fall or something?" Laurie replied, a catch in her voice.

"I'm all right, darlin'….I promise after we get these animals I'll have Rudy take a look at it." Rick drove into the hospital parking lot, then turned to his wife and pulled her into his arms.

"Will that make my angel feel better?"

"Yes, Rick. And I promise not to drive you crazy with my worrying." She whispered, cuddling against him as he kissed her hair.

"Thank you, Laurie. Now let's find our children."

As they walked into the emergency room, Rick was relieved to see Ron and Abby already there, with their son Joey bouncing Lala and a burbling David on his lap. Chief Joseph and Rob were talking to Andy, who looked up at the sound of the door opening then launched himself at Rick.

"Grandpa, I knew you'd come!"

"There's my Andy, how is my boy?" Rick hugged him, then gave a grateful look to the sheriff and tribal elder.

"I'm worried, Papa said Mom would be all right, but still.." Andy started, only to stop when Rudy Wells came out of the treatment rooms.

Immediately everyone was quiet, then Laurie asked, "Rudy, how is Ramona?"

"She's fine, missy. Just a slight concussion and a few bruises, she's going to be staying in bed for a day or two, but Ramona's strong, she'll be all right in no time. I'm keeping her and Robbie here overnight." Their friend smiled as Rick's head jerked up.

"Robbie! What happened to him, he didn't say he was hurt?"

"Calm down, Rick. He's just bruised from being knocked down by the force of the blast, he'll be fine. You and Laurie can go in and see them now."

Rick never thought he'd be so grateful as the moment he stepped in the doorway of the hospital room and saw Robbie and Ramona together, each holding the other. Both of them were bandaged and bruised, and his daughter-in-law had an i.v. in her arm, but they were safe.

"Kids?" he said, then they looked up at him and Laurie.

"Pop!" Robbie called, then Ramona held out her arms, "Mom." At once Laurie was at her side, while Rick was rubbing his son's back as he wept out the story of what happened.

"I couldn't leave her, Pop, I wanted to have Andy go after the car, …but I needed him to call for help. They got away, how are we going to stop them…"

When he had finished, Rick was quiet for a moment, then pulled back to look Robbie in the eye.

"You did everything right, son. You took care of what was important, Ramona and the kids. Andy got a description, and your Uncle and I have a plan outlined to stop those two."

Robbie managed a smile. "Thanks, Pop. Now I know it'll be okay."


	4. Chapter 3

"There, I think we're ready, Rick."

A.J. adjusted his headset, then looked over at his brother, whose total attention was fixed on the old homestead on the edge of Silver Rock. Peering through high-powered sights, Rick was able to see everything happening in front of the Wolf house from 2 blocks away.

"You've got the device in the mailbox, right A.J.?"

"Rob put it on the lid himself, just looks like a post office tag." The younger Simon was now focusing on a car driving up the block. As it passed the home, a voice came into A.J.'s earpiece.

"Can you hear me, pal?"

"Loud and clear, Rob. I think we can start now." A.J. turned to Rick, who turned on his transmitter watch. "Okay, Chief, go ahead and get their attention."

"Going in now, son." Chief Joseph walked up the block then went to the door of the Wolf home.

A minute later Rick watched him knock on the door, then A.J. immediately turned up the volume on his headset.

"Chief, if you've come to yell at us about what our sons have done, you're wasting your time, they're gone and they're never coming home." The older man said stridently, and immediately Chief Joseph stepped backward a few paces, forcing Tony Wolf, Sr. to walk out of the house and on to the front walk.

"Oh, I think you know what seeds you have sewn, Grey Wolf." The Chief said dryly, using the other man's tribal name. "Your sons have added attempted murder of women and children to their crimes, and since you aided their evil work, you will be summoned to the Tribal Council."

Rick dialed in closer, seeing the panic on the senior Wolf's face. "No, Chief, I did not help them, please, I've cooperated…I didn't know he was dealing in relics."

Shocked, A.J. turned to his brother. "He was behind Santos?….I don't believe it!"

Suddenly the sound of a high performance engine sounded down the road, then Rick saw in his sights a large van barreling toward where the Chief stood. At once Tony Sr. threw his hands up and cowered behind the elder.

"Son, I did my best, leave before you bring harm to your family." He yelled, then Chief Joseph grabbed the man and threw him aside. As the van approached , A.J. signaled to Sheriff Rob, who was on the other side of the street, and immediately two shots rang out, puncturing the tires of the vehicle and causing it to spin out of control.

As the driver of the van fought with the wheel then slammed to a stop just shy of the house, Chief Joseph and Rob ran to the driver's side, guns pointed.

"Freeze, Wolf, one move and we'll shoot!" Rob ordered, then the Chief saw the fugitive, a furious look on his face, grab at something next to him.

"Down!" he yelled, then both men fired as they hit the ground. Rick and A.J. immediately pulled their weapons and ran the two blocks to the location, only to see Tony Wolf fall out of the van and collapse on the pavement.

"Nice shooting, guys." Rick puffed, seeing the lifeless eyes of their assailant

"Yeah, well, there wouldn't have been any if the Chief hadn't seen Wolf reaching for something……" Rob started, then a buzzing noise from inside the van caught their attention.

"Is that a radio?" A.J. asked, puzzled, then Rick reached in and thumbed the speaker switch. "Hello?"

"Sorry to make it short, Mr. Simon. I've kept good on my word and Mrs. Simon …well,. I'll say goodbye to her for you." Click.

At once a loud ticking noise started, and Rick yelled, "Everyone get away, there's a bomb in the van!"

Immediately the group scattered, with Chief Joseph throwing himself over a retaining wall and the brothers doing the same. A moment later a loud explosion sounded.

As Rick hugged the ground next to A.J., debris rained down on them. When the smoke cleared, all that was left of the van was a smoking wreck.

A.J. let out a swear word, then Rick fumbled with his transmitter. "Laurie, God no."

As he signaled to his wife, the two brothers ran for Rick's truck, then sped off.

"Where is she, what does the transmitter say?" A.J. asked, driving faster then he'd every driven before.

"The mini-mall near your house, A.J., she said she and Abby had some errands to run."

Laurie and Abby were just getting into her jeep, with her grandchildren Lala and Andy clutching ice cream cones in their hands.

"You know those two will have chocolate dripped all over the place by the time we get home, doncha?" Abby grinned as she hoisted the two children into the back.

"I know, that's why the dry cleaning is back there, it'll absorb all the mess" Laurie giggled, then a voice calling their names got their attention.

"Phone call, Mrs. Johnson." A clerk from the market came running toward them.

"Well, somebody knows who you are." Laurie teased. Abby just tossed her head, then belted the children into the back seat.

"I'll be right back, buddy" she said, then walked briskly back to the market.

As Laurie got into the driver's seat, she had a funny feeling of being watched, and looked around the parking lot. "Grandma, are you looking for someone?" Lala asked, then Laurie gasped at a rapidly approaching figure.

"Andy, Lala, hide under the clothes and don't come out until Aunt Abby or Grandpa come, please." She told the children frantically. A beeping noise from her watch sounded at the same time, and quickly she turned on her transmitter, not noticing in her hurry she had put it on send.

Hurriedly Laurie turned back around and started the jeep, then screamed as something broke the driver's side window.

"No!"

Rick heard his wife's scream, then Andrew Bear's voice.

"I told you I'd be here for you, Mrs. Simon."

Less then 5 minutes later, Rick screeched into the parking lot of the shopping center, then steered his car toward his wife's jeep. Barely turning off the motor, he jumped out of the truck, his heart in his throat.

As he approached the vehicle, he saw the driver's side door open and the seat belt ripped from its holder. Desperately he leaned inside, hoping against hope she had fought off her attacker and was merely dazed or unconscious. The car was empty, except for her purse, its shoulder strap torn.

"Laurie!" he "called", then felt a faint cry, "Rick! Help me!" Almost instantly it faded.

Frantically he yelled her name aloud, then Ron and Abby came running up to him.

"Rick, where is …. Oh God, no! Rick, she had the children with her!" Abby cried, stopping just short of the open vehicle. "I was only gone a moment, the store said I had a phone call, but no one was there."

"Put out an APB, hurry, Ron! They can't have gotten far!" Rick gasped, fear gripping his heart. Suddenly a small voice called "Grandpa!"

"What…..Andy? Lala?" Rick turned back to the Jeep, then yanked open the back door to see his grandchildren huddled under his wife's dry cleaning.

"Grandpa! Gramma told us to hide and not come out until you came. A man took her!"

Lala held out her arms and he quickly pulled her and her brother out and hugged them.

"It's okay, we'll find Gramma." Rick tried to reassure them both, then Lala started to cry. "Grandpa, he was bad, Grammy was calling for help, and he dragged her away." Andy's lip quivered, but he managed not to cry.

"Oh no, Rick." Abby choked, then gathered the children in her arms as Ron called A.J. and Linda to meet them at the police station.

Minutes later several police cars had swarmed the area, then a beeping from Rick's watch stirred a faint hope that she had somehow managed to signal him. Quickly he turned it to receive.

"Pop?" It was his son.

Swallowing hard, Rick answered, "Robbie, your mother….she's been kidnapped."

"I know, I just got a call from Ron. Thank God the kids are safe. Pop, it's Andrew Bear, isn't it?" Robbie's voice was shaky.

"I'm afraid so…he left a taunting message that I'd be too late to save her, but the call came from Tony Wolf's phone. He's got her….." Rick's voice became harsh.

"And here their parents have been lying all along, I bet they knew what those little monsters had planned all along." Abby growled, her voice full of fury.

The chief of detectives paled. "Yeah…let me call into headquarters and put out an APB." He answered, the anger in his voice mirroring his friends.

Ron went to his police cruiser as Abby put a hand on Rick's arm. "Stay focused, pal. We'll find her, Laurie's a strong woman. Let me call Robin and Cecilia."

Against his will, the older Simon's eyes moistened. "Thanks, Abby. I don't know how I can tell Robin and the kids that she's ….that Laurie's missing."

She tightened her grip on his arm. "Please, Rick. I need you to be strong, if not for Laurie, for us. Now we need to see if we can get a bearing on her transmitter."

Heartened, Rick hugged his friend. "Thanks, Abby. You make your calls, I'm going to see if any one in the store saw Bear grab Laurie."

After scouring the shopping center, Rick was encouraged by the discovery of 3 different video monitors near the spot of his wife's abduction. Hoping the tapes would reveal the license plate of the fugitive's car, Ron fed each one of them into his cruiser's VCR, then watched them intently.

Behind him Rick, Abby and now A.J. were perched on the bed of Rick's truck.

"Wait a minute, look at that."

Ron raised his head, then turned to see a look of surprise on Rick's face.

"See that truck, the green one?" Rick pointed, then turned and scanned the parking lot.

There were several delivery vans parked against the various exits of each store, and as he squinted in the fading sun, Rick heard Laurie's "voice" in his head.

"Rick, we're between the buildings, but don't come, he's going to kill you, please …."

"Laurie? Where, which buildings?" Frantically he climbed down off the truck, then told the others, "Laurie's here, she says they're between the buildings!"

Suddenly Rick saw something green shining half a block away.

"Ron, call for back up." Without waiting he quickly walked back into a nearby shop, then exited through the back into the unloading area. As he ran toward the area of the green van, a beeping sound let him know his brother was calling him.

"Rick, where are you going, what did you see?" A.J.'s voice crackled over his watch.

"See that flash of green by the bank? I think that's Andrew Bear, he's got Laurie in that van and I'll bet he's waiting until we're distracted then he's going to take her away. Wait for my signal, then have Ron block him in!" Rick explained, then caught a glimpse of the back of the vehicle and slowly came to a stop, deciding to take cover behind a car until the others were in position.

As he ducked down and noiselessly crept along a retaining wall just a few feet from his quarry's van, Rick heard footsteps.

"That's far enough, Mr. Simon."

The eerily friendly voice of Andrew Bear startled him, and he glanced around, thinking he had been spotted. Then he saw him.

Always a big man, Bear now looked as if he'd worked out in prison, muscles bulging out of a uniform shirt no doubt stolen from a delivery company. He stood next to the green van, holding a gun in his left hand, pointed straight at A.J..

In his right hand, Rick could see the mentally ill man had a hand grenade, the pin partially sticking out. As he tensed, ready to spring at the would-be murderer, Bear's next words froze him in place.

"Call over your brother, otherwise I'll shoot you with one hand and blow up Mrs. Simon with this grenade!" Bear coolly indicated the van with his gesture, then the panel door opened, and he saw Laurie, laying motionless on the floor of the vehicle. She opened her eyes, then seemed to focus on him. "Rick….please….".


	5. Chapter 4

Rick's first inclination was to rush Bear and throw him to the ground, then get his wife out of the way before he could act on his murderous intentions. Common sense reared its ugly head as he remembered his injured knee, and what would happen if he wasn't fast enough.

"Ron, I'm going to distract him, but if he doesn't drop the weapon……" he whispered into his transmitter. "Go for it Rick, I'll make him think you're in front." Ron quietly said.

"Bear, give up now. The whole shopping center is surrounded." The younger Simon replied, then looked toward his left, as if glancing at his brother. A.J. took a deep breath and called, "Rick?"

As Andrew Bear swiveled his eyes toward an unseen target, Rick tossed a rock in that direction, then launched himself at the tall man.

Taken completely by surprise, Bear was no match for the weight of Rick knocking him to the ground, gun skittering from one hand as the older man snatched the grenade, pin and all from him. Forcing the pin back in with his thumb, he tossed it out of harm's way.

"Nooooooo!" the fugitive cried, as Rick struck him with his free hand, then pinned him flat to the pavement. Andrew Bear struggled underneath Rick, then viciously kicked his knee. Gasping in pain, Rick was taken by surprise and fell off Bear, then found himself facing the man's crazed eyes.

"You're dead…..then she'll be mine…." Bear snarled, pulling a knife from his belt. Fighting against the pain, Rick managed to jackknife his good leg, causing Bear to fall backwards. Regaining his balance, Andrew Bear howled in anger then started to lunge at Rick with the knife.

Two shots sounded, then Rick saw blood pour from Bear's chest, and the maniac fell lifeless on the ground.

Instantly Rick looked to see who had fired, then his eyes focused on his son, a stricken look on his face.

"Robbie." Rick spoke to him, then called louder "ROBBIE!"

At once his son's eyes met his, then he let out a deep breath. "Pop, are you okay?"

"Yes, son. You saved me, and your mother. He would have killed us all."

"That's right, Robbie." Ron approached them, and after seeing that Rick was unhurt, he gently led Robbie away to be questioned.

Immediately Rick jumped into the van and found Laurie bound and gagged with tape, laying on the cold metal floor. Her eyes were wide with fright and it tore his heart as he pulled the tape from her mouth, then held her close to him as he managed "Laurie, darlin'." Laurie was visibly shaking as she whispered "Rick, is he gone? I was so frightened, darling …He was going to kill you in front of me….."

"He's gone forever, Angel. Are you all right? Did he hurt you?" Rick asked, cutting the bindings off her wrists and and legs, then rubbing them to restore the circulation.

"He hit me, love, then stuck a cloth with some kind of drug over my face so I couldn't fight him. I tried, Rick. But he was so strong, and ….oh, no, Andy and Lala…" Laurie tried to sit up, only to calm down when Rick comforted her, "Sweetheart, it's okay, the kids are fine, they're safe with Abby. You saved them, they hid until we got to the car." He stroked her face as she relaxed against him.

"Thank you, God." Laurie sighed, then rested her head against Rick's chest as she murmured, " Please take me home, Rick. I want to show my knight how very brave he was…you came, you saved me."

Rick kissed her, a relieved smile on his face as he replied, "I will, Laurie. First we have to let everyone know you're safe….."

"Laurie?" A.J. was at the door of the van and helped Rick lift Laurie out of the van and then gave her a heartfelt hug.

"I'm all right, A.J.. Thanks to you guys, it's okay." She reassured him, seeing the worry on his face. Rick slipped his arm around his wife as Ron and Abby joined them.

"I'm so sorry, buddy, I shouldn't have left you…." Abby started, then Laurie embraced her.

"Honey, no…it was a trap. Andrew wanted you out of the way, but he said if you hadn't gone, he was going to blow you up. He wanted me alone, he was going to kill everyone I loved…" she said, then tears filled her eyes as Ron shook his head.

"I know, Laurie, but he's dead. Robbie will be relieved of his weapon of course until the investigation is done…"

"Wait a minute, you mean my Robbie…is he all right?" Laurie was startled by his words, then she caught sight of her son being questioned by a pair of detectives.

"Robbie!" she cried, then started towards him. At once Rick followed her, fearing she was still in shock from her ordeal. Their son looked up at the sound of his name, then seeing his mother coming, held out his arms. "Mom!"

Rick had to choke back tears as his tall boy wrapped his arms around Laurie, then broke down as she told him "Robbie, I was so afraid he was going to kill your father in front of me, then you and all our family. He wanted me to suffer, he wanted you to suffer. You did the right thing, you saved us."

"I know, Mama. I saw the look on his face, he was going to kill Pop. And he tried to kill Ramona and the children, but I almost froze…" Robbie answered, his voice cracking.

"But you didn't, son. You only hesitated because you're not a killer, you're a protector. Like your father." Laurie added, looking up at Rick with a smile that took his breath away.

Despite the pain in his knee, Rick gathered Laurie in his arms and kissed her. "Always, my angel."

"One thing, Mama, how did you know he was coming, so you could have the children hide?" Robbie asked, then Rick looked puzzled at her. "Sweetheart?"

"I had a bad feeling, then I thought I saw his figure in the rear view mirror. I couldn't let him hurt Andy and Lala, so I had them hide under the laundry." Laurie explained, then paled as she saw Rick wince from the pain he was in from his knee.

"Rick, darling, let Rudy take care of your knee when we get home, please?"

Rick sighed, then seeing the paramedics nearby, nodded reluctantly. "All right, my princess. But I want him to check you out too, capice?"

Laurie kissed him, whispering, "Capice, my love."


	6. Chapter 6

"No, Rudy, I don't want to be under for the surgery."

Rick was tired of the pain and the discomfort, but he did not want to have anesthesia for his knee operation. He saw his friend's look of dismay, then Laurie spoke up from her place next to his hospital bed.

"I'll stay right next to him Rudy, I won't take my eyes off him in case he has pain, I promise."

"All right, Missy. But the first sign of a problem, we'll have to put him under, okay?" Rudy Wells gave both of them a stern look, then he smiled as husband and wife nodded.

Rick sighed as Laurie stood aside and let Rudy's assistant prep him for his arthroscopic surgery. He'd been forced to wait several days until the swelling in his injured knee had gone down, and had to depend on A.J. and Robbie to handle the chores at the ranch.

He was the first to admit he wasn't a good patient, but with "Nurse Laurie" in attendance, Rick had been too busy enjoying her pampering him to be very grumpy.

Besides, with his wife needing a little TLC too, Rick found he relished having Laurie with him all the time. It had taken a few days for her to sleep through the night, but after talking through the bad dreams, it was a relief to once again wake up in the morning and see her smiling, coffee in hand for the two of them.

"Face it, Rick, she spoils you rotten." Ron had stopped by the day before and had been present when Laurie came in the room with Rick's lunch. A.J. was right behind her and started laughing.

"Does not." Does too!" Both men carried on with each other until a low whistle broke them up.

"I don't spoil Rick, Ron…..I just love him." Laurie told them emphatically, then giggled as Rick pulled her down onto the bed and kissed her thoroughly.

"Any time, precious. You can love me whenever you want." He teased her, as A.J. merely rolled his eyes and said "Don't encourage him, sis."

"Don't need any, little brother." Rick smirked, then broke up when Ron groaned, "Oh, I think I'm going to be sick. Laurie, I'll bring Joey by next week for his riding lesson. Call me after Hopalong has his surgery, okay?"

"Sure, Ron." Laurie smiled and made as if to get up.

"Never mind, honey, A.J. can see me out." Ron waved her off, then left the room as Laurie settled back down on the bed and pulled Rick's tray over.

"Sweetheart, I need to talk to you." Rick had put off telling Laurie something about his surgery long enough, he decided.

"Sure." Laurie sat up, then saw the serious look in his eyes.

"What is it, Rick? Did Rudy say something about your operation?"

He nodded. "It's just an arthroscopy procedure, but in case I've got a fracture or something shows up, well, you won't be able to stay with me."

"Oh, Rick….." Laurie's lip quivered, then she took a deep breath.

"I understand, darling. Rudy just wants to make sure you'll be all right, and I wouldn't mess things up for anything. You'll be fine, I know it."

"Angel." It was Rick's turn to be emotional. He knew Laurie had a hard time being separated from him during any medical problem, and he pulled her into his arms and kissed her all over her face.

"I love you, you are my strength, Laurie. I want you holding my hand when I close my eyes and when I open them." Tears ran down his face and at once Laurie wrapped her arms around his neck, whispering, "I'll be there, always, my love, my rock. I won't ever leave you."

"Okay, Rick, time to get you fixed up."

Startled, Rick looked up from his reverie to see Rudy, his surgical mask already in place.

"Ready?"

He nodded, then turned to look at his wife as she held his hand and smiled at him.

Suddenly he had an idea.

"Tell me a story, sweetheart."

Laurie's face lit up, "Of course, Rick. Which story do you want to hear?"

"Any of them, darlin'. How about the Lost Valley one, I never heard what happened after your Great-Grandmother stumbled into her father's shack." He didn't feel the prick in his knee, only the slow numbness that went down his leg.

"That's right, I've started that story so many times, but I've never finished it for you." Laurie grinned, then brushed a stray hair from Rick's forehead.

"Where was I?"

_"I opened the door, and except for the shaft of moonlight, saw only a dark room. Fortunately a dull gleam appeared once my eyes got used to the darkness, and I remembered the emergency kit I had in my holster. Opening the little compartment, I pulled out a match, then struck it on the doorframe. In the flame's light I saw a small lamp on a low table, and I quickly lit it._

_Instantly the light revealed a small room, containing a cot, a washbasin, small bookcase and pot-bellied stove on one side, then a set of cupboards and two chairs with another small table on the other. Surprised, I picked up the lamp, then holding it up examined the furnishings, which looked to be dusty but in fairly good shape. _

_Turning to see what was on the bookcase, I was startled to see 3 pictures displayed on the top shelf, all 3 featuring me as a child, teenager and college graduate. Now I knew whose cabin this was. All of a sudden a gust of wind blew in, and I hurriedly shut the door, then fearful of breathing carbon monoxide in case the stove vent was blocked, I propped it open with one of the chairs. Worn out, I limped to the cot and sat down.. _

_"Oh, Father." I spoke aloud, "Why did you have to leave me. I'm so alone, Gene is going to be so angry with me, what if he can't find me." At once all the fear and tiredness weighed on me, and my eyes filled with tears. I lay down onto the bed and began to cry. Just then I felt something being pulled over me, and I realized a blanket was covering me. I was too exhausted to open my eyes, so I whispered "Thank you" to whoever was there. _

"Wait a minute, there was a ghost in the cabin?" Rick was surprised when his wife nodded.

"I've always thought Kasey had the gift of sight, but when I read this story, I realized that she believed that her father watched over her after his death. She didn't fear the supernatural."

"Almost done, Rick. Just stay calm." Rudy broke in, then his eyes crinkled as he added, "Keep going, missy, he's doing fine."

Rick smiled as Laurie grinned at the both of them. "Okay, guys, now….let me see.."

_The next thing I knew, faint daylight streamed in the open door of the cabin. Confused, for a moment I didn't know where I was. _

_Oh, yes. I remembered, I was in Lost Valley, I had fallen down the slope, and had taken refuge in a cabin past the clearing. Beyond that….I was fuzzy on who had opened the door and covered me with a blanket. _

_Wait a minute…someone else was in Lost Valley, had called to me, and covered me with a blanket so I wouldn't freeze. Has someone been living in my father's cabin? There was no sign of anyone else having been there since his death almost a year and a half ago. Yet someone had looked after me when I was at the end of my strength. _

_Suddenly I saw that the snow had stopped, and I got to my feet, only to let out a groan as my ankle refused to support me. I grabbed at the bedpost, then struggled to stand. Once I was up, I shuffled over to the washbasin, and was shocked to see a small water pump attached. _

_What on earth, my father had installed a water pump? Nearly holding my breath, I worked the rusting handle, and clear water ran into the bowl. _

_Carefully I tasted the water and found that it was fresh, like out of a spring. Gratefully I washed my face then gingerly dried myself on a not-to-clean towel. _

_Straightening up, I had the feeling again that I was not alone, so I spoke aloud. "Thank you, whoever you are." _

_"You're welcome, Kasey girl." _

_That voice! I whirled around, hanging onto the washbasin, but no one was there. _

_"Father! Where are you?" I cried out, then there was silence. _

_I waited a moment, then I spoke again. "Father, if you're there, please…talk to me. I need you!" _

_There was a sigh, almost like a wafting breeze, then I heard my father once more. "You're not _

_alone, Kasey. You'll be safe……" _

_As if in answer to his words, I heard my name being called. "Kasey! Kasey!" _

_Gene! It was my Gene! I limped to the door, then turned back to gaze at the room behind me. _

_"Thank you, Father. I love you." I said, torn between relief and sorrow at leaving this piece of my father's life behind. "I'll come back, I promise. I'll make sure your place is taken care of." _

_Footsteps crackled in the distance, then my fiancé's voice sounded again. _

_"Kasey? Where are you?" _

_"Here! Gene, I'm here, in the clearing, darling." I shouted back, then nearly broke down as he came through the trees. I stumbled towards him, then I was in his arms, saying "Gene, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'll never disobey you again." _

_He hugged me tightly, whispering, "It's all right, Kasey. Are you okay? Did they hurt you?" _

_I drew back, startled. "Gene, you know about the horse thieves? I was afraid they'd gotten away, how did you find me?" _

_He picked me up, then seemed to notice the little shack for the first time. "Where did this come from, Kasey?" _

_"It's…Gene, It's my father's. I guess it was his little hunting cabin or something. It's got some pictures of me, and books…..I didn't know he had it either, until last night." At my request Gene reached behind me and closed the door. _

_"We'll have to come back, sweetheart. I want to see it, but, oh Kasey…." He saw the lump on my forehead, then dropped a kiss on it. _

_"I'll be okay, Gene. I hurt my ankle when I fell, but I think I'm all right otherwise." I told him as he started back to the canyon edge. As we approached the rocky walls of the valley, a sudden gust of wind blew the vegetation covering the rocky surface. _

_At once, a cave entrance was exposed, and Gene gave a low whistle. "Would you look at that?" _

_"Now I know how my father got in and out of here, hopefully it's still clear, Gene." I told him, then lowered my head against his shoulder as he stepped gingerly into the passage. _

_Within a minute we traversed the winding path, and emerged at the edge of Lost Valley. _

_I was surprised to see Captain Jackson, Gene's friend from the fort, as well as Deputy Pat, waiting beside Champ, Gene's horse. _

_Over the exclamations of relief, I explained what happened, then saw anger in the men's faces as Captain Jackson said, "The only reason we knew they had run into you was that one of them said they would have gotten away if it wasn't for "that nosy deputy." _

_Gene scowled, then tersely he thanked the others. Lifting me onto Champ, he climbed up in back of me and we rode into town. _

_I could tell Gene was upset with me, so as soon as the two men were out of earshot, I said "Gene?" _

_"Yes." _

_"I'm sorry, I should have listened to you. I wanted to prove I could catch a couple of the turkeys like my father used to. I wanted to help, but instead, I guess I messed up." _

_I heard Gene take a deep breath, but he didn't say anything in return.. _

_I was heartsick, I couldn't bear his silence, what if my stubbornness had cost me Gene's trust. _

_I closed my eyes, willing myself not to cry, then rested my aching head against his chest. _

_"Kasey, I'm the one who's sorry." Gene's voice startled me, and I opened my eyes to see him looking worriedly at me. _

_"I was upset that you thought about helping Father Gregory with Thanksgiving, I'd forgotten all about the church dinner. I should have remembered Bob's bringing the turkeys for the feast and offered to go with you." Now I wanted to cry in earnest, and I put my arms around his neck and kissed him. _

_"I love you, Gene. I promise always to share my ideas with you." I smiled up at him and he wrapped his free arm around me and returned my kiss. _

_"I love you, sweetheart. And I promise I'll always listen." He told me earnestly. _

_As Silver Rock came into view, a warm feeling filled my heart. Like my father had told me, I wasn't alone. He was still looking after me, and so was the man I loved. _

"All fixed, you two. As soon as I check a few things, you can go back to your room for the night." Rudy said, then he leaned down and hugged Laurie. "Good story, missy. You're better then medicine for this guy."

"Thank you, Rudy. You're the best." She replied, returning his embrace. Rick reached out his hand to his friend. "That goes for me too, Rudy."

"You're welcome, son." The older man sniffed then wiped his eyes. "Now you've gone and gotten me all mushy. I'd better let our family know you're okay."

As the door closed behind him, Rick took Laurie's hand and kissed it, then pulled her to him.

"I think I like you better then medicine too."

"Me too." Laurie kissed him gently, then snuggled against his shoulder. "Our family..I like the sound of that. Did you like the ending to Kasey's story, love?"

Stroking her hair, Rick nodded, thinking about the miscommunication that had almost mirrored their own so many years ago. "I don't like that it almost happened to us, but I do like the kissing and making up parts." He saw Laurie's eyes widen as it hit her about the similarities.

"Oh Rick, I never thought about it like that, when I fell into Lost Valley….I'm glad we listen to each other better then now. But like Kasey said…." Rick interrupted her with another kiss.

"I will always look after you, never alone, darlin'."

"You can say that again, sis." A.J. spoke up from the doorway, and Rick tried to scowl at the interruption. "Geeze, A.J., ever hear of knocking?"

"Sorry, Rick." A.J. pretended to be penitent, then burst out laughing when his brother dropped the grumpy look and grinned. His smile broadened as Robbie stuck his head in. "How do you feel, Pop?"

Rick couldn't resist. "With my hands, Son, of course." Everyone broke up, causing the surgical nurse to leave the room, grumbling about rules.

"You three are so funny, no wonder you make a great team." Laurie giggled, then Rick looked up at A.J. and his son.

"We do, don't we, A.J.?"

A.J. clasped his brother's hand, then put a hand on his nephew's shoulder. "You can say that again."

Fin


End file.
